New to ducks - have questions!

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
We'll be waiting

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

We feed scratch grains as well as grubs. Hubby also splits logs and puts them in their pen so they can perch on them and get the bugs they attract.

 

[duquet]

FLChickens - Ironically, we had some trees being cleared today and I asked the guys if they would make me some perches, so that is the first part of my duck pen - five little tree stump perches. Where do you get grubs? Don't tell me I gotta start digging up things!

Miss Lydia, I see you too are in NC. I'm in the Piedmont - just north of Greensboro.I live on a shared 14 acre lake, so feel that it is only appropriate to have ducks - unfortunately, these will never see the lake! But the mix fits! My neighbor raised some mallard ducklings who still remain on the lake. I raise miniature horses for show and have a golden retriever and a terrier mix puppy, and two barn kitties.

 

[duquet]

I'm still doing my "due diligence" duck research. I'm sort of rethinking getting my Mandarins in the fall - even though I understand that is the best time of year to get a mating pair. But being new to ducks and the thought of facing a winter as a "newbie" sort of makes me shiver. SO, if I do wait until early spring, will there be a sufficient time for the ducks to mate and nest and have some babies?

I've gotten a quote on a 12x14x6ft enclosure (1/2" wire all around) part of which will have cinder blocks as a base around a "pond" (haven't decided on what type of water feature yet). Should I start with just one pair in that space? If I do have some babies, is that going to be big enough? And, then, is there a market for the ducklings since I don't want to just breed more and more of them with limited space.

And, thirdly...I first intended to have them pinioned. Their enclosure will be covered, so should I also rethink that and let them be able to fly some?

Sooo many questions....